Non Boring Transportation Appliance?

I'd probably look at the Nissan Armada instead of the Pathfinder.

Or the Infinity QX80

Ed

We need the Nissan Patrol Y61 models in North America.

I'd probably look at the Nissan Armada instead of the Pathfinder.

Or the Infinity QX80

Ed

We need the Nissan Patrol Y61 models in North America.

You can always (if you have over 100K to spend) get the new Armada (2016+) and then buy the aftermarket parts to make it a Patrol Desert Edition truck.

Patrol Desert Edition truck.

now, that brings back some good memories of offroading in France in the 90's. You can forget about your Armada though.

There is too much sense being made on this thread, you should throw sense and sensibility to the wind and buy the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio - 500+HP of "I do what I want"

That's the one to get. They also have a lightweight 280hp version, but if you're going to get an SUV you need at least 300hp.

Similar, but less $$$$$$$………

Similar, but less $$$$$$$………

did they run that vehicle into a wall ???

the bumper looks fucked

I don't entirely enjoy the dealership experience and with that in mind I've got a relatively short list of test drives planned. I'm going a bit baller here and there, but I figure I may as well see how the other half lives. I'm also going small and big as I'm not 100% on which size to go with.

• Audi Q5 (SQ5 too)
• Audi A4 All-Road
• Cadillac XT5
• GM Acadia
• Ford Explorer
• Ford Edge
• Nissan Pathfinder
• Subaru Forester (turbo)
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota 4Runner

I too am interested in how these test drives go for you.

I think I've made the mistake of looking at too many luxury vehicles though… hard to go back to the "mainstream" brands now. So far top of the list for me now is the BMW X5. (Relatively) great handling for a large vehicle, all the whizz-bangs and doodads you can shake a stick at, and plenty of room for what we'll need to be hauling around for the foreseeable future. There are also lots of low mileage used ones out there for several thousand less than the price of a new Toyota or Subaru. I know service and repair costs will be higher, but I've owned quite a few German cars and have had good luck (knock wood) and I'm pretty diligent with maintenance.

The question now is: diesel vs gas? Diesel is cheaper currently, and the economy and torque are pretty great with them, but they do seem to command a bit of a premium, even used, and there are other associated costs with diesels. Plus a lot of my driving is still city driving so not sure if it's ideal having a diesel in these conditions. I'm still leaning this way, but can any diesel owners out there chime in with city driving experiences, engine warm up times, cold starting (i.e. proper winter cold, not Lower Mainland cold), any unexpected issues, maintenance costs, things you hate about them, etc?

Thanks again!

• Audi Q5 (SQ5 too) Great driver feel and seating position. 3.0L nice smooth power. Very light on luxury. You'll feel every break in the pavement and it only has a single power point in the front. For an add on you can get a dongle in the glovebox for 2 USB. It's low level luxury was the deal breaker.
• Audi A4 All-Road Really low to the ground and awkward driver position for a tall guy.
• Cadillac XT5 Winner-elect. Smoothest and quietest. HUD and rear-mirror camera are fantastic. 4 USBs and wireless charging, along with places to put your phones. Very smooth power. Regular gas.
• GM Acadia Drives a little too rugged and has a dated interior.
• Ford Explorer The Platinum package is a hell of a vehicle. Proper luxury and as quiet as anything out there. Range Rover off road settings/design means it'll be fine in the rough stuff and the 3.5L turbo has mad power. Deal breaker is its just too big for my wife. If I were looking for an SUV this is the one I'd buy. Ford tunes its turbos to run on regular, but you'll get a bit more power (boost) and slightly better fuel economy (leaner) on premium.
• Ford Edge Too small.
• Nissan Pathfinder Too big
• Subaru Forester (turbo) It's a nice car. The infotainment system is great and I love what it shows you. This car makes great use of its space for seating and visibility. It goes like stink and it is quiet inside (2017). Not just "quiet for a Subaru" but "very quiet for a $40k car". If it had more luxury we'd be up for it.
• Toyota Highlander I don't fit in the passenger seat (no headroom)
• Toyota 4Runner I don't fit the driver or passenger seat (headroom)
• Lincoln MKX Lots of power. Cramped front seating. Noisier than you'd expect from a luxury brand. Nice interior design, apart from the lack of space.

Thanks! So are you going to purchase the Cadillac?

How tall are you btw?

I'm 6'4".

strange you feel the explorer is too big, comparatively speaking it's not that much longer than the xt5

It isn't that I feel it's too big, it's that my wife feels it's too big.

The thing is it isn't all in the numbers. The proportions of the vehicle, the driver position, and the controls can all make a vehicle feel smaller or larger when they aren't that different in size. For example, an MKX and Q5 are very similar in size and the Q5 felt great while the MKX was cramped.

The HUD in the XT5 adds confidence as it pulls your eyes down the road instead of trying to watch sensors on your mirrors or images on the screen. This helps make the vehicle feel "smaller".

Of what I drove there weren't any bad cars. At the end of the day a big piece of it was what felt best for my wife, and what feels best for one person will differ for someone else.

Did your wife find the Pathfinder too big as well? We test drove one of those a few months ago and liked it, but couldn't get a good price for our Santa Fe so didn't end up pulling the trigger.

Yeah, Pathfinder was too big. We just don't need a 7 passenger rig.

I wish the F-Pace was out as it looks like a solid option. First gen is dicey though.